A large signal analysis of a power traveling-wave tube

In this paper the large-signal or the nonlinear behavior of a helix traveling-wave tube (TWT) is investigated by numerical integrating of a set of electron equations of motion, including the space-charge repulsion forces between the electrons, and the coupling between the slow-wave structure and the electron beam. The simulations were conducted for typical parameters of a power TWT. The Pierce gain parameter C and the relative injection velocity b were varied in order to verify the saturation power output level. The RF output power, the electron phase, the electron velocity, and AM-AM plots are presented and discussed.